Late night television legend David Letterman will retire in 2015.
Letterman announced his retirement decision during a taping of "The Late Show" on Thursday afternoon. CBS (CBS, Fortune 500) subsequently released a transcript of his remarks.
"We don't have the timetable for this precisely down," Letterman said. "I think it will be at least a year or so, but sometime in the not too distant future, 2015 for the love of God, in fact, Paul and I will be wrapping things up," he added, referring to his longtime band leader Paul Shaffer.
Letterman's announcement sparked a standing ovation from his much-surprised audience at the Ed Sullivan Theater in midtown Manhattan.
It also triggered immediate speculation about who might replace him on the iconic CBS program.
Letterman's announcement initially leaked out when a performer, Mike Mills, who was at the taping of "The Late Show" tweeted out the news. "Dave just announced his retirement," Mills wrote.
The news comes just weeks after Letterman's longtime rival, Jay Leno, retired from the NBC "Tonight Show." Leno was replaced by Jimmy Fallon.
Letterman has hosted "The Late Show" since 1993. Last fall, he extended his contract through 2015; news reports at the time said he gave no indication that it would be his last contract. But Letterman is known to be incredibly private, and on Thursday he quipped that he didn't give his parent network a heads-up about his decision.
"The man who owns this network, Leslie Moonves, he and I have had a relationship for years and years and years, and we have had this conversation in the past, and we agreed that we would work together on this circumstance and the timing of this circumstance. And I phoned him just before the program, and I said 'Leslie, it's been great, you've been great, and the network has been great, but I'm retiring,'" Letterman said in his monologue.
He added, "I just want to reiterate my thanks for the support from the network, all of the people who have worked here, all of the people in the theater, all the people on the staff, everybody at home, thank you very much. What this means now, is that Paul and I can be married."
Moonves, the chief executive of CBS Corporation, quickly issued a statement on Thursday afternoon thanking Letterman for his years of service -- and silliness.
"For 21 years, David Letterman has graced our Network's air in late night with wit, gravitas and brilliance unique in the history of our medium," Moonves said. "During that time, Dave has given television audiences thousands of hours of comedic entertainment, the sharpest interviews in late night, and brilliant moments of candor and perspective around national events. He's also managed to keep many celebrities, politicians and executives on their toes -- including me."
"There is only one David Letterman," Moonves added. "His greatness will always be remembered here, and he will certainly sit among the pantheon of this business. On a personal note, it's been a privilege to get to know Dave and to enjoy a terrific relationship. It's going to be tough to say goodbye. Fortunately, we won't have to do that for another year or so. Until then, we look forward to celebrating Dave's remarkable show and incredible talents."
The show has been nominated for 72 Emmy Awards and has won nine.
Letterman began his television career in 1969 working as an announcer and weekend weatherman at WLWI (now WTHR), an ABC affiliate in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has been a staple of late night since 1982, when he began hosting the NBC show "Late Night with David Letterman."
After long-time Tonight Show host Johnny Carson announced his retirement in 1992, NBC chose Jay Leno as Carson's replacement. Letterman, in turn, started hosting CBS' "The Late Show" in 1993. Band leader Paul Shaffer followed Letterman from NBC to CBS.
My favorite skits were when he would visit NJ and annoy people sometimes with Zsa Zsa. Or when he had a 100 Santa's take over the stores near the show.
_________________ "Every day a little sadder, A little madder, Someone get me a ladder."
ELP
“You can't have everything. Where would you put it?”—Steven Wright
His best days were during Late Nite, as during those 11 years, he felt that the spotlight really wasn't on him so he could do all that crazy, wonderful shit. When he got the Late Show and the earlier slot, he felt like he had to straighten up a bit, which was still leagues better than Leno and he still had the best of the Late night shows for a good long time afterward.
Oh, for the days when he dropped stuff off the roof of a five story building.
Yes, I laughed pretty hard when he proved Galileo was right by dropping a six-pack of beer and a six-pack of light beer at the same time to prove they would hit the ground simultaneously.
And the flour bit in the above clip was pretty impressive.
His best days were during Late Nite, as during those 11 years, he felt that the spotlight really wasn't on him so he could do all that crazy, wonderful shit...
Kid Nemo wrote:
Good times.
"They walk where weak, thin, dumb guys fear to tread!"
Chelsea Handler is in talks with CBS for a late-night talk show, an individual close to the producer and E! talk show host told TheWrap.
CBS contacted Handler to discuss the potential of hosting a syndicated show in the wake of her announcing this week that she's leaving E! when her contract expires at the end of the year. But Handler has told CBS that she isn't interested in that option. As a result, CBS then expressed interest in considering Handler for Craig Ferguson's 12:30 a.m. slot.
She will be meeting with CBS Corp.'s chairman and CEO Les Moonves in the next few weeks to continue the discussions of joining CBS's late-night lineup, the individual said. But, Letterman's retirement announcement on Thursday has changed the landscape for her. Handler now has her eye on Letterman's “Late Show” spot instead. Either timeslot would make her the first-ever woman to host a late-night broadcast show since Joan Rivers’ short-lived late night show on Fox, which ended in 1987.
Of course, she'll have to prove to CBS that she can break out of her niche audience and appeal to a more general audience for CBS to consider her for the spot.
A role with CBS is just one of the projects that Handler has been considering. Ideally, she wanted a weekly radio show on Sirius XM with a taped version of the show on Netflix, the latter of which she's already in talks with, according to the individual. (Netflix told TheWrap that Handler had not been in talks with the company about a show.)
The insider said that she has also been approached by Jeff Zucker for CNN or HLN and by FX. But, again, the Letterman spot has changed things for her. It is now No. 1 on her list.
The CBS-Handler talks would also suggest that the network was at the very least entertaining a replacement for Craig Ferguson at 12:30 a.m. The “Late, Late Show” host reportedly has right of first refusal for Letterman's spot, although CBS may not want to give it to him.
Ferguson has been regularly falling to NBC's “Late Night” in recent years. When Jimmy Fallon hosted at 12:35, he topped Ferguson roughly five nights to Craig's every one. And since Seth Meyers has taken over, his version has more than doubled Ferguson's average rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic — though those numbers are inflated due to interest.
Stephen Colbert is CBS' top choice to replace the retiring David Letterman, and has indicated that he's willing to take over the Late Show when the time comes, people familiar with both sides of the discussions tell Mashable.
Colbert has not had any formal contract discussions with CBS, and no agreement is in place, but sources tell Mashable that he first engaged with network executives while Letterman was still mulling the timing of his retirement. Though CBS has had conversations with other candidates, including Colbert's Comedy Central counterpart Jon Stewart, individuals with knowledge of the situation say Colbert is currently the front-and-center candidate.
A CBS spokesman told Mashable: “We’re not commenting on any rumors or speculation about succession.” Comedy Central had no comment.
Colbert's contract to host The Colbert Report on Comedy Central runs through the end of 2014, which would free him up in time to move over to CBS when Letterman ends his 33-year run in late-night TV. Letterman left the exact date of his departure vague while announcing his retirement plans on Thursday.
“We don’t have the timing of this precisely down; it will be at least a year or so," Letterman said on Thursday's episode of the Late Show. "But at some time in the not-too-distant future — 2015, for the love of God."
Colbert would leave behind the pseudo-conservative persona he's cultivated at The Colbert Report and just be himself at his CBS home Colbert would leave behind the pseudo-conservative persona he's cultivated at The Colbert Report and just be himself at his CBS home, one of the individuals told Mashable. He has stepped out of character on rare occasion, though not on his show, and possesses the same wry, incisive interview skills that Letterman has showcased for decades.
A few questions remain for CBS in its pursuit of Colbert; money is a big one. The gap between a potential network payday and a Comedy Central salary has significantly narrowed in recent years. Plus, Colbert is meticulously topical in his selection of guests, many of whom aren't stars, but the Late Show gig would force him to shoot the breeze with all manner of celebrities peddling movies and TV shows. That isn't to say he wouldn't do it well — but would he want to?
There's also more of a workload: five nights a week to cover an hour, versus four nights doing 30 minutes. But in the end, the draw of being Letterman's replacement could be too strong for Colbert, who is a friend and admirer of Letterman's.
These conversations represent the state of play at this time, but anything can happen in Letterman's remaining year. Twitter and Facebook were filled with calls to diversify the mostly white male late-night lineup, and Colbert still has more than eight months left on his Comedy Central contract.
Other names that have come up in discussions for Letterman's replacement have included Neil Patrick Harris, who just finished up How I Met Your Mother on CBS, and Craig Ferguson, who comes on after The Late Show With David Letterman. Harris could remain a wild card, but Ferguson, though well-liked by the network in his later slot on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, has never been seen as the heir apparent.
At one point, Stewart was seriously considered for the Late Show post, but his prospects have steadily faded over time Stewart was seriously considered for the Late Show post, but his prospects have steadily faded over time as sentiment coalesced around Colbert. The Daily Show host has finished shooting his feature film directorial debut Rosewater, and is said to be passionate about continuing that and other off-air pursuits, which a major late-night hosting job would not easily permit.
CBS is a cousin of Comedy Central via Viacom, from which the broadcast network was spun off in 2006. Stewart and Colbert enjoy similar ratings, but The Daily Show is still considered Comedy Central's flagship program, which would make a Stewart poach potentially more fraught. Colbert, who will celebrate his 50th birthday next month, made his bones as a correspondent on Stewart's show, leaving in 2005 to start his spinoff series that immediately follows it; the shows have essentially gone hand-in-hand ever since, with the two hosts joining forces for special election coverage and other events.
The Colbert Report has won Emmys for writing for a variety, music or comedy program in 2008, 2010 and 2013; it won its first outstanding variety series Emmy last year, snapping a 10-year run for Stewart's show.
Though CBS has been quietly lining up his replacement for months, by all accounts, Letterman's decision to leave was entirely his own, and was largely telegraphed when he signed a one-year contract extension to remain through 2015. Since then, the 66-year-old Letterman had been having ongoing conversations with CBS CEO Leslie Moonves, who released the following statement after Letterman's announcement Thursday:
Quote:
When Dave decided on a one-year extension for his most recent contract, we knew this day was getting closer, but that doesn’t make the moment any less poignant for us. For 21 years, David Letterman has graced our Network’s air in late night with wit, gravitas and brilliance unique in the history of our medium. During that time, Dave has given television audiences thousands of hours of comedic entertainment, the sharpest interviews in late night, and brilliant moments of candor and perspective around national events. He’s also managed to keep many celebrities, politicians and executives on their toes – including me. There is only one David Letterman. His greatness will always be remembered here, and he will certainly sit among the pantheon of this business. On a personal note, it’s been a privilege to get to know Dave and to enjoy a terrific relationship. It’s going to be tough to say goodbye. Fortunately, we won’t have to do that for another year or so. Until then, we look forward to celebrating Dave’s remarkable show and incredible talents.
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